Since the collapse of the communist bloc in 1991, Western doctrines and values have insidiously spread throughout nations, crossing borders and transgressing traditions. A new order was born, and new phenomena arose: the economy became a global market of corporate capitalism and Western mass media became internationally global, and more.
Aravid Adiga, acclaimed author of The White Tiger and Between Assassinations, centers his plot within twenty-first century Mumbai and the many opportunities that opened for the Indian society’s nouveaux riches. When Dharmen Shah’s plans of demolishing a crumbling tower block come to a standstill because one of the residents—Masterji, a retired schoolteacher—refuses to sell, that is when Adiga presents a story that promulgates the class conflict reminiscent of Marxist traditions.
Adiga succeeds brilliantly to describe the dangerous upheaval of capitalist sentiment in a society like Mumbai’s by creating the tension between a prospective entrepreneur and a disgruntled resident. Also, Adiga shows how money has replaced values and traditions and how they can turn old friendships into fast enemies.
The author’s truthful portrayal of Mumbai and its cosmopolitan layout with its contrasting landscapes, from slums to luxurious towers, add to the realness of this fictional novel. The author is careful to remind us that although we’ve entered a fictional realm, this reality truly exists further implementing global inquietudes of poverty and rising social inequalities.
You wouldn’t want to miss out on such an enlightening and rich read. Aravid Adiga’s voice and sentiment resonates evocatively throughout the novel, constantly reminding you that this is a situation that we’re facing right now, that this might be happening to someone, somewhere and that although the world seems to be more “relaxed”, it is also more dangerous.
By Azza El Masri
Azza El Masri is an avid reader and is always looking for new recommendations! If you want her to review a book you fell in love with or leave a comment on her book bulletin, then you can reach her on www.tempoplanet.com/category/talking-books
